Scores of Sarpanches on Thursday staged protests and disrupted a function organized by Chief Planning Officer (CPO) by resorting to vandalism at Lalpora in Lolab area of Kupwara district against their ‘disempowerment’.Eyewitnesses told Global News Service (GNS) that CPO had organized a function on ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padao’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. In the function, the CPO had invited Sarpanches and Panches of Lalpora block. However, the witnesses said, when the function was about to start the Sarpanches staged protests, resorted to vandalism and set ablaze few books of Panchayat Act besides made attempt to set on fire the tent.The witnesses said that the Sarpanches had also physical scuffle with the organizers. A protesting Sarpanch, Naseer Ahmad, said on the one hand the Government is campaigning for ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ and on the other they have not been paid for the construction of 1200 toilets in Lolab belt. “Furthermore the Government on the behest of a minister has withheld 3 crore rupees for Lalpora block,” he said.
The Sarpanches alleged that the Government has withheld the funds in view of upcoming elections “in order to score points”. “The government is betraying us and has disempowered us. We have been ignored and all our powers have been snatched. We have been left paralyzed despite of the fact that we have rendered countless sacrifices and stood like wall in front of militant threats,” they alleged.The Sarpanches threatened government of disrupting upcoming Panchayat elections and asked: “For what the government is holding elections when we are already disempowered. We will not allow these polls to take if attitude of government doesn’t change.”Meanwhile, a police official while confirming the violence said they have registered two cases after receiving complaints from Sarpanches and also from the planning department. (GNS)